137 Power to change status of Maori land

The Maori Land Court may make a status order under section 135(1) where it is satisfied that—

(a)

the legal estate in fee simple in the land is vested in a Maori incorporation or the trustees of a trust constituted under Part 12; and

(b)

the title to the land is registered under the Land Transfer Act 1952 or is capable of being so registered; and

(c)

the alienation of the land is clearly desirable for the purpose of a rationalisation of the land base or of any commercial operation of the Maori incorporation in which or the trustees in whom the legal estate in fee simple in the land is vested; and

(d)

the rationalisation referred to in paragraph (c) will involve the acquisition of other land by the Maori incorporation in which or the trustees in whom the legal estate in fee simple in the land is vested; and

(e)

the quorum and voting requirements imposed by regulations made under this Act in relation to the resolution necessary to authorise the alienation referred to in paragraph (c) are impractical.

(2)

Where the Maori Land Court makes, in accordance with subsection (1), a status order under section 135(1), the status order may be made conditional on the net proceeds of the alienation of the land—

(a)

being applied towards—

(i)

the purchase of a specified piece of land; or

(ii)

the improvement of any specified piece of land owned or to be purchased by the Maori incorporation or the trustees; or

(iii)

both; or

(b)

being held in trust for the purposes of the acquisition of other land pursuant to a land acquisition plan approved by the court or for the purposes of the improvement of land pursuant to a land improvement plan approved by the court; or